Formal Dinner at Mount Vernon Estate

BLACK TIE, COCKTAILS, ON THE LAWN AT MOUNT VERNON ESTATE

Quite a privlege tonight: dinner at Mount Vernon Estate. The best part was at the beginning - cocktails on the lawn . Plus, the mansion was open and guests could wander from room to room. My guest was my sister-in-law, Martha Joynt Kumar. Mount Vernon was part of both our childhoods, making the experience extra special.

THE VIEW FROM THE MANSION, WITH A BAR SET UP ON THE LAWN

Beautiful evening. Quite breezy. During cocktails a presentation was made to the winner of the George Washington Book Prize, but more about that tomorrow on washingtonian.com. What I'll leave you with are the geese, who lurked on the sidelines, waiting for the humans to vamoose from their lawn. 

GEESE, WAITING FOR THE HUMANS TO DEPART FROM MOUNT VERNON'S LAWN

After the award announcement, dinner was served. We followed a marching band to visitor center's atrium for the seated dinner. 

MARCHING MUSIC LURED THE GUESTS TO DINNER

INSIDE THE DINNER AS GUESTS WERE TAKING THEIR SEATS